Bechhofer, Frank

LC control no.	n 80067278
Descriptive conventions	rda
Personal name heading	Bechhofer, Frank *Browse this term in* LC Authorities or the LC Catalog
Associated country	Scotland England
Associated place	Edinburgh (Scotland) Cambridge (England)
Death date	2018
Place of birth	Germany
Field of activity	Sociology Social sciences Folk music
Affiliation	University of Edinburgh University of Cambridge Edinburgh Folk Club Bechhofer Agency
Profession or occupation	Sociologists Social scientists
Found in	Edinburgh Conference on Demography, 1967. Population growth and the brain drain, 1969. Scotsman WWW site, viewed Jan. 4, 2019 (in obituary dated Dec. 27, 2018: One of Scotland's most eminent sociologists, and a leader in the development of social science research at the University of Edinburgh, Frank Bechhofer was German-born but happy to be an "honorary Scot". Professor Emeritus of Social Research at the university's School of Social and Political Science and Research Fellow in its Institute of Governance, Prof Bechhofer has died. From arriving in Britain in 1939 at the age of three, Bechhofer went on to establish a national and international reputation, particularly in developing and promoting the social scientific study of modern Scotland, as well as important work in the sociology of class structure and in establishing Edinburgh University's Research Centre for Social Sciences. He graduated at Cambridge in 1959 with a BA in Mechanical Sciences, gaining an MA three years later, becoming a research student in industrial management in the university's department of engineering, and being elected a Foundation Scholar in 1960. As a research officer at Cambridge's Department of Applied Economics, Bechhofer had been part of a team that carried out the Affluent Worker Study. Joining Edinburgh as a lecturer in sociology, he was promoted to Reader in 1971, then to Professor of Social Research in 1987. He established an important research seminar on social stratification, based mainly at Cambridge, and in Edinburgh revived the Research Centre for Social Sciences in 1984, becoming its director and making it a major base for empirical sociological research. Frank's long-standing involvement with folk music initially stemmed from his wife Jean's interest, firstly in Cornwall, later in Edinburgh. While Jean was a regular performer, Frank became involved in the organisational aspects, initially with Edinburgh Folk Club, which they joined in the mid-Seventies and helped run for several years, Jean as chair and Frank as secretary. This immersion in the folk scene and an initial stint acting as agent for the English singer Nic Jones led to the creation of the Bechhofer Agency which, at its peak, boasted an impressive roster of such internationally renowned names as Duck Baker, Archie Fisher, Tommy Sands, Chris Stout, Catriona McKay and the trio of Ali Bain, Ale Möller and Bruce Molsky; The funeral is at Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh tomorrow at 2pm)
Associated language	eng